Chris “Mad Dog” Russo isn’t too happy about being stood up by longtime NBC Sports announcer Mike Tirico on a date with him.
Russo explained that he had planned to interview Tirico for his SiriusXM show, but the interview was canceled after NBC mocked ESPN’s decision to broadcast the Opening Ceremonies in IMAX on their show “First Take.”
After the segment, titled “What Are You Angry About?” aired, Russo said he received no response from NBC or Tirico.
“I said let’s make fun of NBC based on the fact that they were selling tickets to the opening ceremony in an IMAX theater for $20,” Russo said. Terrible announcementimitating a conversation he had with Sirius producer Steve Torrey.
“So I said, ‘Steve, I’ve got a date for you and me. For $20, I’ll go to the IMAX theater with you. I’ll buy the popcorn. I’ll get the couch. I’ll have some Coca-Cola. You and I will watch the opening ceremonies on Friday night.’ And Steve pulled a $20 bill out of his wallet and threw it at me. I wouldn’t let him give me the $20 back. I put my foot on the $20 bill and he got on the floor and tried to give it back. And I said, ‘How dare NBC do this. Blah blah blah.'”
2024 Paris Olympics
Russo was shocked that the segment had gained so much traction, but Tirico and the NBC PR team were probably busy cleaning up the reactions to the opening ceremony.
“So you’re saying that ‘I’m angry’ has that kind of power?” Russo asked. “And somehow, 4,000 miles away, they heard that I’d wrecked an IMAX and decided not to show ‘Trico’?”
The opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics has sparked a huge backlash after it appeared to feature a mock “Last Supper” complete with drag queens.
However, Russo clearly takes this personally, as the radio host is never one to keep quiet when he feels he’s been wronged.
The longtime WFAN host also took issue with Peacock tennis commentator Renae Stubbs’ commentary of Novak Djokovic’s win over Rafael Nadal at the Olympics earlier last week.
